Abstract

Using ultra-short pulse (USP) lasers for cutting transparent brittle materials by laser filamentation is increasing in the high tech consumer and commercial markets, most notably for semiconductor substrates and glass displays. As a substrate material, glass offers superior optical quality, mechanical resistance, chemical consistency, and temperature stability. Compared with longer pulsed lasers such as nanosecond laser, ultra-short pulse (picosecond, femtosecond) lasers offer higher cut quality, measured by edge strength, chip-out size, micro-cracks, heat affect zone (HAZ), and cut surface roughness. Laser ablation and laser filamentation can both be used to cut glass. However, laser filamentation offers additional advantages of speed, zero taper, and zero-kerf cutting. We investigate the dependence of pulse energy, pulse width, and focusing optic, on filamentation cutting of transparent brittle materials, using IR USP laser. Of particular interest is determining which laser process parameters and focusing optic provide the best performance in terms of cut thickness, cut quality, singulation, and bend strength.

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